Gravity

By: Fenrin


Sakura took her time eating the apple but didn't have the appetite to finish it. She trashed it and hopped up onto the railing of the bridge, the usual meeting spot, to sit and wait for her other teammates to arrive.

Sasuke was always first to arrive after her. Sometimes he was even earlier than her, but that was rare. She always beat him by a few minutes if she was diligent enough to not slack off on the way to the bridge.

"Good morning, Sasuke-kun."

"Mornin'." He leaned against the side of the bridge and took his usual stance, enjoying what silence he would get today, and that was about as much silence that he could get until Naruto decided to show up.

The sun was up and it had been thirty minutes before Sakura heard the approach of footsteps and the familiar blonde figure coming up to greet them from across the bridge.

"Good morning, Sakura-chan!"

Sasuke sighed, and Sakura gave a smile as she greeted him. "Good morning, Naruto."

"Oi, oi! Sakura-chan, you look different!"

"Eh? How so?"

"Hmm. Your hair is longer!"

"Well, it's been a long time…"

"The chuunin exam was…how long ago?"

Sasuke put his hands in his pockets and surprisingly joined in. "Three years."

Three years since…

"Eh?" Naruto blinked.

Sasuke rolled his eyes at Naruto. "Three years since the chuunin exam. The one you're talking about, at least."

Sakura nodded and looked down at her feet. She had cut her hair in the chuunin exam and when she had come home from her loss with Ino…

"What happened to you, girl?"

She froze in the middle of the hall, holding her knapsack in front of her chest. Her eyes fell to the floor.

"Come here."

She had to force herself to come…to not shake as she approached him. She opened the sliding paper door to his room, putting her knapsack against the wall to the side.

"Where were you?"

"…I participated in the chuunin exam."

"I told you before…You're not fit to be a ninja. Get down on your knees and apologize."

Her hands shook as she did so. She got on her knees and looked to her father who sat on his futon, his half empty sake bottle on his lips before he spoke again.

"Tell me you're sorry." His low voice made her feel the vibration that resounded in the floor. She clenched her teeth before opening her mouth to speak, but was cut off short when he snatched her newly cut hair in his hand, grabbing it from the roots and forcing her head to the floor. Her lips crushed the wood before he let her pull up an inch to speak.

"You'll bow your head when you apologize to me, you little bitch! Tell me you're sorry!"

"…I didn't mea-…"

"Be quiet! That's not how you apologize. Don't speak until you're spoken to, Sakura! Your mother would be ashamed to see how poor your manners are!"

'Mother…'

"Tell me how sorry you are, Sakura…Tell daddy how sorry you are that you went into that chuunin exam."

"I'm sorry…father…"

"You don't mean it. Tell me how sorry you are that you didn't listen to me…You know being a ninja is a man's job. Your mother wasn't a ninja. She knew her place. Tell me how sorry you are…ruining your families image with your weaknesses…It makes me sick!"

"…I-I'm sorry…"

"For?"

"…I'm sorry…for not listening to you …"

"Apologize to your mother, Sakura. She's watching you now, and here you are, embarrassing her over and over again."

"…I'm sorry, mother…"

He tightened his grip on her hair and pulled her face up to look at his.

"Look me in the eye, Sakura…"

She did as she was told. His eyes were far away…a dull green. How she hated him for having green eyes…

"You look just like your mother…Your mother knew her place. Where are you getting at in your little academy? I heard the teams are still in a two boy to girl ratio. You like that, you little slut? Is that what you're there for?"

"N-no!"

"What are you there for?"

"..."

"I asked you a question! I won't repeat myself, Haruko!" The grip on her hair loosened.

She shut her eyes because she knew it was safe. Haruko was her mother's name. He was so far gone into his own drunken stupor that he always confused her with her mother when he was near passing out.

"Haruko…I won't repeat myself…I told you to answer me. If you can't talk, you can go into the kitchen and fix me dinner, you goddamn bitch!"

Sakura stood with a small, "Yes." Her father's eyes drooped down slowly, and Sakura was no longer afraid. She stood there, her lips near bruised, and looked at him in a mess on the floor. She kneeled down again slightly to check his pulse. His arm was heavy, and his hand was close to being three times as big as hers. The warmth of his wrists went into her fingers, and she could feel a strong pulse, which made her half relieved and half upset.

He hadn't always been like this…

Sakura stood and left the room, closing the door behind her gently. This was part of the reason she was a ninja. Staying at home wasn't her best option, but she felt a strong urge to be able to protect everyone… even people like her father.

She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and listened to Naruto and Sasuke argue, which was more or less the usual daily talk for them.

"Idiot, Hyuuga Neji can't read minds."

"Eh? But when he was against Hinata…!"

"No…He could tell by.." Their voices drifted off again.

'Even people like my father…' She wanted to deny it, but it was true. She needed to start working harder. She was chuunin now, but that meant nothing in terms of her growing stronger. What could a chuunin do to protect her people? At the moment, she was just another body that could stand in front of the Hokage and take a hit. Tsunade-sama had told her so in one session of their afternoon training. …That she needed to fix her personal priorities first before she could improve herself in the long run. But it was easier said than done.

"Yo'! Today I got lost on the road of life, and it was quite difficult getting here…"

"Liar!" Naruto shouted in accusation, starting off the daily routine.

"Shut up already, dobe."

Sakura rolled her eyes, "There's no such thing as time with sensei."

"…But the point is that I made it."

Kakashi strolled up to them with a cheery smile. (Well, as much smile as you could get from Kakashi).

"Today, we'll be participating in a tournament."

"Eh? Really?" Naruto's eyes shined with love for his sensei as he turned into a star struck schoolgirl.

Sakura placed a hand on her hip and covered her face with her other hand. "Naruto no baka. Don't get so excited…"

"Actually, it's more of a fun thing today. All the other team leaders have decided to enter in their students. This is more of present to you for becoming chuunin. So, today I want you to do your best!" He gave a thumbs up sign, which made Sakura weary with doubt.

"How can fighting be a present.." She mumbled. It wasn't her kind of fun, but this was her chance to show her team how much she had improved with help from Tsunade-sama. She lightened up to the idea, even though this seemed to be more of a stubborn rivalry between all the jounin team leaders.

They set off to the stadium, which wasn't too far of a walk. But when they arrived they were the last team there, and were rewarded with an accusing glare from all of the other squads. Sakura gritted her teeth slightly, inner Sakura ranting off about Kakashi's lack of punctuality.

Kakashi was oblivious and waved to them. "Sorry we're late!"

Gai quickly went into action. "Nothing else is expected of you Kakashi, my eternal rival! The spring of youth must be leaving you!"

Sakura, Naruto, and Sasuke snuck away from their sensei, who was slightly bad tempered for being referred to as, 'lacking the spring of youth…'.

The Fifth Hokage approached from behind, with a glare to the late party's teacher. "If you don't mind, we've been waiting for fifteen minutes. I'd like to get this started. I have work to do."

Sakura smiled slightly, doubtful if her teacher really did have work to do after the tournament. Even when watching over her training, Tsunade-sama would sip at tea and procrastinate on her work, coming to the her aid when a jounin would enter with paperwork for her to fill out.

Everyone walked ahead while Sakura was last to approach the spectator point. The last time she had been here was when she had tried out for the chuunin exam the second time. She had won against a sand member, but she was still a bit disappointed for having tied with Ino when they had stood in the stadium. That was back when they were twelve. It had been a long time.

"Sakura, today will be a little different."

"What do you mean, Tsunade-sama?"

"Today, it's all chuunins against each other. That means the score board isn't limited to choosing from other teams for your opponent."

"So…"

"So you may be fighting against one of your own teammates. If that happens, don't forfeit. At least try your best, that's all I ask."

Sakura stepped up to the railing that over looked the arena. "I would have tried anyway, even if you hadn't have said anything." Her team was a few meters away. Sasuke looked over slightly, but went back to speculating his possible opponents.

Tsunade-sama gave a small smirk. "Well, do your best. No opponent here is going to be easy."

"Hai. Thank you."

Tsunade left Sakura with her thoughts, and she found herself going back to stand by her team. The first match was Shino and Neji. Sakura watched the battle from time to time. She didn't think about much, Tsunade had taught her that. Thinking about anything too much would distract her, but thinking too much on her match before it even started would unnerve her. Her eyes strayed onto Neji who was performing his infamous 64 Strikes on Shino. From this, Shino wasn't going to last long.

Sakura looked to her hands that clutched the railing before her, and noticed Sasuke's hand lazily hanging from the railing, quite boyish, not but three inches from her hand. She gave his profile a quick look before diverting her attention back to the match. Shino had lost, and Neji was declared the winner.

Sakura watched the board for the next match. Her name came up first on the black screen and a quiet hush was immediate after the second name. Her heart stopped for a fleeting moment.

'Haruno Sakura vs. Uchiha Sasuke.'

She couldn't face him even though he was only a breath away. Sasuke didn't look at her, but began his descent to the arena. Sakura followed a moment later.